- WAR IS PEACE
- FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
- IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
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This page was last updated on 08/02/07. The stories and pictures of 2005.
Dec. 30, 2005: It's the end of the world as we know it...and I feel fine. Actually it's just the end of 2005, but I do feel fine. 2005 was quite a year. Hell froze over (Jayson got married), I got married, Tommy bit the Korea apple, I started to wrap up my Korean experience, unnamed friends may have found what they were looking for, and so much more. I'm looking forward with anticipation (and a little dread) to 2006, which should prove most interesting. (more later) Dec. 23, 2005: Here we are, 2 days to Christmas, basically a week from the close of 2005 and 3 months from my return to the States. It really feels like some part of my life is ending. The feelings about leaving Korea and moving home are incredibly mixed. I knew it would happen someday, but the speed at which this turn of events happened left me quite unprepared for the changes and feeling a bit sad or melancholy. Let me start by saying I'm incredibly happy being married to Julie. My strange mood and feelings doesn't come from our relationship, unless you add in the stress of wondering what the hell I'm going to do with my life and how will I provide for my family back in America. Korea is/was simple. I made decent money, had a job I liked for the most part, and life was generally good. All those things are a huge question mark once we move. Where to live, where to work, how to get Julie in school, how to pay for me to go to grad school, how to afford a car and all those extra expenses that we don't have here, and lots of other little things all add up to keep my mood subdued. The job issue is a pretty big one. My teacher certification has lapsed while in the Land of the Morning Calm, so I can't immediately apply for teaching positions, not to mention it is near the end of the school year. I can sub a bit, but without the license I am limited in how long I can sub. Also, I can't re-up the license without going to school, which would make subbing hard too. Non-teaching jobs are an option of course...but what? I truly have no problem working in sales or the service industry, but I do have a problem doing it in my hometown. It would just seem really odd meeting people I've known forever while waiting tables or wearing a "blue shirt." Luckily Julie won't have that pressure so will have more options, for short term jobs at least. Opening my own shop is an option too. I have ideas, but ideas take money. Again, this is where the speed at which this whole move happened really caught me off guard. Everything was geared for a life in Korea, not rebuilding in the US. We had a five year plan for Korea and an eventual move to Oklahoma. It was flexible, but only in that we may have stayed longer, not shorter, and definitely not three months. I still really like the business idea, but with all the other things I have to invest my time and money into, I don't know if it can happen. Where to live is something I am doing my damnedest to avoid thinking about. Where we both end up going to school is a factor of course. Cash is a huge one. Transportation is another. I do still have my house in Edmond, but it is rented out and there are a multitude of reasons to not move there. If we do, it'll be at great remodel and renovation expense first. Renting is an option but is a waste of money and you can't really make a rental your "own," which is an important thing for Julie since she will be "alone." Short term it looks like we'll be with the parents in the land of no cable and no broadband (which really fires up one of those business ideas that needs money.) Joy. The last thing that is hurting my mood is more of a personal problem. It is a feeling of regret. I usually don't dwell on such things, but with such a huge life change looming I can't help it it seems. My regrets come not from what I have done (mostly ;p) but what I haven't accomplished in my four years in Korea. I haven't learned to speak Korean (still can at least.) I haven't traveled as much as I could have (a lot yes, but leaving really ends my travel life.) I am leaving some students that I really could have influenced. I became too comfortable and didn't challenge myself enough. Those are some of my regrets Some I can fix, some I cannot. Oh, in case you were thinking it, I'm not whining. I'm just writing to let my two loyal readers what I'm thinking and to fish for comments. Like I said, today is he 23rd of December. I have a ticket home for tomorrow that I can't use and 2 more weeks of school even though I turned in my grades last week. (That may be bitching, but definitely not whining). Rus-Merry Christmas ya'll --Oh, I haven't missed all the political news this week, it's been an interesting ride. I just don't have it in me to tear into right now. I'll give you my short form: War doesn't give the President the authority to let the NSA spy on you and me. There is a secret court that can be used RETROACTIVELY...bloody use it. It is still wrong, but damn, all you people that feel your freedom isn't worth protecting need to open your brain and see the possible future. We have no rights., not even those "self-evident" ones. We only have liberties and privileges that have been earned through the struggles of our ancestors......Kudos to the few Senators that finally got a backbone and stood up against the last portions of the (un)Patriot Act. They'll collapse and fall in line or get pork-barreled into compliance, but it was nice to see for a moment. Discuss or comment HERE. Check for new photos HERE. Dec. 06, 2005: So, I mentioned I had stuff. Much stuff no less. I'll just give the short form, I'm sure you won't mind. Short form: I'll be moving back to the "land of the free" in the next few months. Likely March for those keeping score at home. Longer explanation: I hear the resounding cries of "why Rus why?" Well, it starts with mis-informed American Citizen Services personnel in the US embassy in Seoul. When I got married, they said that Julie's tourist visa would be cancelled (we may possibly stay in the US since we were married) and we needed to start the IV (immigrant visa) process. Well a couple of months and a grand later, we are basically finished with the process. Our interview Friday went well, only a couple of documents were missing (my stuff, not hers) and proof that I want to and plan to move back to the US with her. So, a couple of more weeks and we'll have that too. The annoying part came during the interview. We were told "I won't cancel your visa yet since you need a few more papers." DO WHAT? I followed with a nicer way of asking that very question and found out that we didn't have to do the IV process until we were totally ready to move. Her visa was still valid and only would have been questioned if we had tried to enter on a one way ticket or they noticed were were married. Still wouldn't have been denied entry, just would have had to answer a few questions properly. Well, we were so far into the IV that it would have cost us another grand to postpone it and move later. So, here we are with 6 months left before she must be in the US. Julie will get a TPR (Temporary Permanent Residence) card after a few months then must wait 2 years to get a PR, aka green, card. We can only make limited trips out of the country for the next two years as well. So there we are. About 3 years in the US before we can move back or elsewhere. Should be interesting. Suggestions on what I should do back home, what she should do, where I should get a master's, where she should go to school, what to study...words of support or sorrow...anything can be added HERE.
Check the
Photo
Board for piles of new pictures! Feel free to
add comments or your photos. Nov. 25, 2005: Happy Thanksgiving y'all. I got a few interesting comments from people about my little ramble. Mostly supportive and equally disillusioned oddly enough. Had a few that took what I was saying as anti-war and in the new ultra-right logic, anti-American. I don't think I even mentioned the war...and let me clarify in case you were wondering, I think we should have a plan, implement it and finish the damn job. Did we get lied to? yes. Are we surprised? No. Are those in congress whining about it 2 years too late? Yes....shoulda had a spine then, enjoy your re-election campaigns. Later, (PS-is Cheney really as stupid as he seems lately? I used to think he was
just a tough guy/war hawk, but man...he knows how to make enemies) Nov. 17, 2005: Hidey Ho Children. (wow, hidey ho
passes the spell check) Over half of November has already slipped by without
anyone noticing. The heat if finally on in the office (Monday) so I'm just
shivering and not actually turning blue. It has actually hit freezing a
couple of night now and from what I can tell there is snow in the east. "Ip
dong" is Korean for "prepare to freeze your butt off" and it officially started
last week. Fall lasted about 3 weeks, and despite my best intentions and efforts I got very few pictures of the change. Here's one I snapped from the window here at school: The Ramble: The future has never been more blurry. Have a visa interview for Julie on the 2nd where the gub'ment could dictate our life plan by forcing us to move Stateside. I do want to do that eventually, but not yet. I really don't want to be in an America where freedom is a buzzword with no substance, where security is more important than a person's privacy, and the people follow leaders like sheep. I do not believe I could remain silent if I were to move home. Would I be branded a traitor or a terrorist because I think the FBI is overstepping their authority? Will I be investigated, my data put in a database forever, and never told about it because of what I think or write? Just writing this, have I already been marked? Would any real patriot, in the historical sense of the word, stand for the government's actions and laws enacted over the past 4 years? We are creating, or allowing it to be created thru inaction, fear, and apathy, a police state the likes the world has never seen. I can not stomach what America is becoming. Living in a foreign land these past four years lets me see the actions of our leaders thru the eyes of the world. Is it any wonder the world hates us? Often I hear "we like Americans but hate America." How sad is that? We should be a beacon of prosperity and freedom to the entire world. Instead we are a bully and fear monger. America can still be great, but we need to forget this idea of "with us or against us." The world is not black and white. Give the world a reason to follow or imitate, don't try to force it. Religion needs to be taken out of the equation as well. Again, it is easy to see why the Muslim world feels like we are leading the Crusades again. Our current governments ultra-right leaning stance just reinforces those feelings. Even our opposition party has slipped to the right. Where have the moderates and, god-forbid, the liberals gone? In the time of Lincoln, to be a Republican meant you supported smaller government and freedom from its influence. Now, both parties do nothing to restrict the size and influence. The beast feeds itself and grows larger by the moment. Are we safer? More free? Richer? Happier? Nope, and what we did have of those may have been lost. I'm scared to move home...where would I make my stand? How will it affect me and my family? Do I join the sheep or do I rail against that which I know is wrong...and the really bitter thought....would it even matter?
On a web-note: I added some more pictures to the gallery. If you login you can add comments or upload your own. Let me know if you are looking at them otherwise I may stop working on it again. Last but not least....the Firefox link on the side is highly recommended if you want to try a browser other than IE. Competition is good, and it is a good product. Care to Comment? Registration no longer necessary.
Oct. 31, 2005: Happy Halloween. Ok, the chilly in hell thing must be spreading. My office is so damn cold my hands are cramping. I'm wearing 2 shirts, a coat and 2 blankets. The concrete floor is sending waves of utter chill through my shoes. It is probably 10 degrees warmer outside...November is gonna suck if this keeps up (and it will). For those of you who know Karrde/Marc, I actually saw him this weekend just before he scooted out of the RoK. Was good to see him as it had been 7 years or so! Oct. 26, 2005: It's getting chilly in hell. I didn't write anything, but I did post an absolute buttload of pictures on the photoboard. Pop in, browse about. You'll find a good portion of 2005 and if I keep on this roll, maybe I'll get to 2004 too. A quick note on the photo board: Pictures start as thumbnails, you click the thumbnail you get an intermediate picture, you then click on that one and you'll get a fairly large one. The largest picture (on most of them) is 800x500 or 640x480. If you really like a picture, I can e-mail you a full sized one, just ask. Ok, a second note as well. If you register, you can select favorites as you browse. when you have a nice set of favorites that you like, there is an option to ZIP and DOWNLOAD them. This is so much easier and faster than right-click - save as for each shot. Try it, you'll like it. New Spy Chickens unmasked!
Oct. 25, 2005: Well, it is a day shy of one month so I must be getting better at this...It was a really busy month. Had Robert, Jayson, the parents, Michelle and Ben all here visiting. Odd that many people would come at once you say? Not so odd when there is a wedding involved! On Oct, 8th I got hitched at Naksangdae Park in Seoul. It was a pretty cool, slightly annoying (just like life in Korea,) traditional Korean ceremony. There are a host of photos on the photo page, take a gander. (more photos pending as well) I'm almost slightly motivated, maybe you'll see more soon. Sept. 26, 2005: Once again, I drop by to add a few words mere days before the month ends. I obviously didn't get anything written about my summer or the past month. Motivation seems hard to come by lately. I just have too many distractions and not enough focus to get past any of them. I feel bad about some of that as I've really neglected many things that I really need to get accomplished. Oh well, it'll all wash out in the end I'm sure. How about I drop a few random pictures instead of writing something notable:
August 30, 2005: In the nick of time I get a few word in on August....I had a big but rather dull summer. I'll try to get back into the swing of working life and then get something written and some pics posted. Don't hold your breath. July 21, 2005: I've really gotta stop doing updates and set-ups when I'm really tired. A handful of broken links have been repaired. Sorry. Andy's pictures are on the board as are mine. Jayson said he has over 1000 (gads) to add this weekend...my poor server! Mine look funky if you view the large size, but they are fine if you save them (I resized after uploading so the photoboard forces them into a much larger size than what they are now). Thumbnails and preview still look hunky dory. If you register and login, you can add comments about any of the photos. On a personal note, I dropped the 4 KG(!!!) I added while eating everything in sight in Turkey. 5-7 more to go....but a trip to the States on Monday will pose a big problem as there is no way I can pass up the variety of food not to mention my grandmother's desserts...mmmm peach cobbler.....added a pound just dreaming about it. July 16, 2005: The photoboard is up and running for all you Turkish travelers. If you want to upload a lot of pics, use the FTP setting I mailed out and I'll move then to the board for easy viewing.
July 08, 2005: I'm in Istanbul, Turkey until Sunday for Jayson's wedding. Maybe I'll get something written in the weekend. But does anyone really think it'll happen? Something keeps happening to the navigation...dunno where it goes, but I'll try and get it all repaired soon too.
June 24, 2005: THE FIVE MINUTE ESSAY: Today may well be remembered as the day Joe American truly took it sideways up the.... The Supreme Court ruled in favor of private enterprise being able to use eminent domain to seize personal property if it is for the "good" of the city. This my friends and 3 readers is a dark time for the States. No longer can an average citizen be secure in their house and home. All it takes is money and a bit of influence and your nice brownstone overlooking a river can be bulldozed and covered by a high-rise. In dissent, "Justice Sandra Day O'Connor...argued that cities should not have unlimited authority to uproot families, even if they are provided compensation, simply to accommodate wealthy developers." She's right even while dancing around the issue of corruption, graft, nepotism, bribery and a host of other words I don't have time to write. Anyone recall the Oklahoma County Commissioners? That was chump change compared to the possibilities here. Does anyone really trust their city council enough to risk their property to them? I know in my hometown, if you aren't in the good ol' boys club, you aren't getting much done and even worse, projects that previously were defeated can now be put forth for "the good" of the city. Scary. Oh and one more quick thought to shake up the property owners. Property taxes are already outrageous. What happens when your property values skyrocket when your neighbors sell to Mr. Developer? Even if you hold out until the city declares eminent domain, your new tax burden may well sap your resources. That my friend is a true double-edged sword. Rus June 17, 2005: Just a note to say I'm alive and kickin still. I've been so busy the past week or so I haven't had time to do anything at all site related. Maybe after next week. I'm almost done giving finals and about halfway through organizing my grades and getting them in Excel, so I'm getting close to freedom. This week and next I'm doing extra classes to make up for the days I'm going to miss for Jayson's wedding in Turkey. Still amazed the school is letting me go... May 30, 2005: The end of May slips in with a bit of stealth and, at least for me, speed. What a fast month it has been. I'm still slackin' on the updates but I have, really have, been working on the back end stuff a bit. Some older pages have been updated or at least looked at and I feel the twinges of motivation in the nape of my neck...or is that leftover from the nap I just took on the couch? This weekend I had a carbo-fest. I felt incredibly guilty at first, but after the bowl of strawberries, I decided to just let Atkins go for a couple of days and proceeded to bake a coconut cream pie and peach cobbler thing. It wasn't for nothing though, it really was a reward for hitting a goal of mine: I BROKE 170!!! Actually, I hit 167 lbs (76 KG) which is 3 pounds lower than my drivers license, which when I renewed it 4 years ago was an obvious lie. I truly don't recall when I was sub 170 last. It may well have been college. I have about 10 more pounds to go to nail the rest of the love handles and gut, then I'll get more concerned with the shape under the skin. All I know is I feel so much better now than I did 2 or 3 months ago, and unimaginably better than a year ago. People bash the low carb diets, but if you really read up on the biology and really follow the plans they do work. Although calling them diets is a disservice, it is more than a diet, you have to make lifestyle changes. It is incredibly difficult (as my little weekend of bread and sugar proves) to change they way you eat all the time, there is constant pressure and a continuous availability of carbohydrates (especially in a country like Korea where there has been no low carb/low sugar diet fad.) If I look at the overall nutrition of a typical week pre-Atkins and my nutrition during Atkins (even during Induction) I eat in a much more healthy way. Sure I eat more fat now, but the kind of fat is better. I now eat lettuce and other greens, when before I ate none. I eat fewer calories now, I eat more often, I'm rarely hungry, and I take supplements regularly when before I wouldn't. Overall, a big positive. Lastly, and on a different note: www.twofatboysfarm.com actually has pictures! It's my parents photo album and they are really using it, take a look and give them your support! ---TheRus May 10, 2005: Another long gap between updates...I just suck I guess. Not that I haven't tried to get some stuff done, it just hasn't happened like I'd like. Made another trip to Thailand last weekend and tried out Phuket this time. It was OK. The surrounding islands and water was awesome. The snorkeling was too cool (fish eating out of your hand and a huge variety of tropicals) Overall, a good time. More details if I ever get to it...(like getting engaged for example)
April 15th, 2005: Happy Tax Day my Americano brothers. I don't mind tax day so much these days. Living in Korea lets me skip out of quite a lot of the tax burden in the States. If I had some amazing year and earned like 70 grand, then I'd have to pay, but as it is, I don't have to pay, and as Martha says "That's a good thing." If you are interested in making some cash and skipping out on that tax burden drop an e-mail to info@expathost.com for some info. I had something witty and ponderable to write about last night, but for the life of me I can't recall what it was. Maybe I'll just let you know what I've been up to, since I'm so very far behind on this web stuff... Let's see...I started the Atkins diet again. It is bloody hard and expensive to do here in Korea. Product labeling isn't in English nor is it very helpful in Korean. Meat is expensive and cheese requires a trip to Costco...but in 2 and a half weeks I've lost about 7 Kg. I'll take that. I feel a bit better, definitely a bit lighter, and I must look better since the girls at school are all asking how to to Atkins. Tonight I think I have a carbohydrate night in Itaewon tho...call it reward and motivation to do another 2 weeks of induction. Randomness...I find that I am using LaunchCast a lot lately, I was missing random music and it fills the bill nicely. I still can't get much done on any of my sites, I don't know what's the block...I need to redo Expathost.com so bad. I have hosting, recruiting and English camps all in various states of construction. Maybe I should have gone old school html and not the content management route...I haven't taken ay new photos in a month., I think I avoid my camera now cause I know I'll never get the pictures online. I have like 6 GB of photos over the past 3 years, maybe 1% are online. Deadwood is one of the greatest shows on television (It's not TV, it's HBO.) Lost is cool too. Will The Sopranos ever air again? Does anyone read this? Let me know! The few of you that have clicked a bit on the links below, thanks! the T-shirt companies, especially tshirthell.com, have some cool shirts and give me a little kickback when you buy. This can really help pay for the site. The other links which I can't name, as I can't encourage you to click them, pay quite randomly. Overall, they are quite worth it, so if you see something interesting take a look. That's enough random crap for today...really wish I could remember what I wanted to bless you with... TheRus Afternoon update: I remembered one thing! Scam artists and fraudsters. Hate 'em. Two days ago, I checked a credit card statement online. I had no reason to, I just did it. Well, I'm glad I did. There was a charge for $9.95 from Groupphoenixone, Llc 310-356-6594 Ca. WTF is that, I asked. A quick Google found one blog that mentioned them. It seems that I was not alone, although the company name changes often in the messages over the past year or more. I call the number. The answering machine is almost comical in the way they guy tries to say, without bursting into fits of laughter, that they will deal with you via e-mail. I find their webpage. I'm now positive I haven't spent my cash with them. So I call up US Bank, tell her I already looked it up, called the number and generally am sure they are full of crap. Amazingly enough, she says, OK, we'll dispute the charge and credit your account....which she actually did! It seems that either they are getting the numbers from some other service leak, although no one can figure out the connection, or they are randomly doing numbers till they get a hit. Both suck. I can only imagine how many people wouldn't even notice $9.95. These jerks are probably making some serious cash...who says crime doesn't pay. TheRus (again) April 1, 2005: I really hate greedy people. No, that's not quite true. I understand greed, and can accept it. But what I really hate is hidden or deceptive greed. I despise greedy people that sabotage others when they do not get what they want, and typically don't deserve. I can't say more right now, but suffice to say, someone is on my shit list. |
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